What Doesn't Kill You Makes A Fighter
by grimmich
Summary: Dom Harry Slash (later) starts pre-hogwarts with some background information then goes on through the school years. This harry is going to be a mix of smart, strong (physically), and powerful Harry. yes it may seem (or be) godlike harry or super harry, don't know but let me know. if someone wants to read it and make me a better summary go for it! ideas are welcome. rated T may
1. pre-hogwarts

Ok, this is my first attempt at writing HP Fanfiction and my second attempt at fanfiction period. Usually I just stick to reading. Any who I am going to put up a few polls for this so if you read the fic, please check-out the poll. This will be **SLASH **so if you don't like two men together then get out. No flames please, I will only ignore them or report them depending on how bad it is.

Blanket Story Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or anything recognizable as belonging to J.K. Rowling. I do not make a profit off this.

Harry Potter never lived the charmed life. It was at its worst in his early years. It changed, though, if only slightly, when he was four years old. At the time, Harry was short for his age, and by the time Harry was four he had scars all over his body from his relatives' special brand of 'tender loving care' for their only nephew.

These ranged from burns: 'Please, no I didn't mean to burn breakfast, I fell off the stool!'

To broken bones: 'no Ripper (Marge's dog) stop that hurts AHHH!'

And lacerations: 'It's the studded belt and rose switch for you BOY!'

All of this coming to a head when Harry was getting ready to start his first year of primary school when he was four, as required by law of all children that are old enough. The Dursley's weren't about to so obviously break the law. It would be NOT normal, and that was what they strived for.

It was the week before school was to start and Petunia was out buying her sweet Dudders his brand new school supplies and reluctantly the freaks second hand (in as bad a condition as she could manage) supplies. Harry was at number 4 with only Vernon his, task master, there with him. Vernon, watching Harry closely as he dusted Petunia's prized faberge egg collection, got a glimpse of Harry's forehead and couldn't look away! The scar was so unnatural! And Vernon's eyes just couldn't leave it alone! 'The freak will be leaving the house to go to school soon with that unnatural scar on his head in plain sight of good normal people! Well, not if I have anything to say about it!' thought Vernon. So making up his mind Vernon left the room for a moment then came back.

"BOY! Get over here!" Vernon called in his usual obscene volume. Harry obediently stopped dusting and went over to his uncle. When he stopped in front of Vernon he looked down, and therefore missed the malicious gleam in Vernon's eyes. Vernon's hand shot out and grabbed the matted hair at the back of Harry's head (they didn't let him use a brush) and yanked his head back making him wince, but the boy didn't cry out, he was used to such treatment by this point. Then Vernon brought out the fishing knifei he had gone to fetch. Seeing the knife Harry knew nothing good could come of it and tried to flinch back, but Vernon had to good a grip on the back of his head and he succeeded only in knocking off his too big glasses.

"Now then, let's make you more presentable for the rest of the good _**normal**_ people around" Vernon said with a twisted nasty smile. He brought the knife to the trembling boys hair line right over the tip of his 'unnatural' scar and pushed the knife until the tip touched his bone, ensuring that the scar would forever be there no matter what. He started to drag the knife down as Harry screamed in pain and horror. Vernon dragged the knife down the middle of the scar splitting it open so that when the stitches where put in it would obscure what the original scarii looked like. Vernon was about finished when Dudley, who heard the screaming from outside, threw open the front door eager to see his cousin in such pain. Vernon, having not expected the sound jerked around to see who it was, dragging the still carving knife with him. The knife finished going through the rest of the scar, through his eyebrow, barely scrapping over his (mercifully) closed eyelid, then digging back into the flesh of the cheek directly under his eye and dragging down to the underside of his jaw where the knife came out as he whipped around. The momentum flung Harry to the floor where he put his hands over his profusely bleeding face as he screamed and screamed, the blood spilling over his hands onto the carpeted floor of the living room.

Vernon seeing it was only Dudley turned back around. Seeing the extra blood Vernon smirked and kicked Harry in the side, "You shut that screaming up and go get in the car it's time for your stitches!" Vernon said cheerily as he grabbed the pledge furniture polish drenched rag and handed it to Harry, "and you better put this on your face, I don't want any blood in my car!"

Knowing it would only get worse if he disobeyed, Harry managed to calm his screaming so he was only sobbing, giving a short scream when he pressed the chemical soaked rag to his face, then hurrying out to the car. Vernon cleaned his knife and put it back into his tackle box then took the boy's rose punishment switch. He cut off a section with a particularly large thorn and got the boys fresh blood on it, then put it in a plastic bag and made his way out to the car. Once in the car he headed for the closest hospital and said, "you are to tell them that you slipped in your aunts garden and got caught on a rose thorn. Any _funny_ business and you will be beaten every day until school starts with both the rose switch AND the studded belt. Do you hear me BOY!?"

"Yes uncle Vernon!" Harry whimpered, still sobbing quietly.

-time skip-

"Well, we have given him some stitches for his forehead and down his cheek, his eyelid will have a scar on it along with the rest of his face, but his eye itself is fine, there was no extra damage. We made it as straight as possible but the edges are still jagged and it looks like it might affect his facial features. He will have the scar for the rest of his life, even with the help of cosmetic surgery, should he decide on that later in life, it will only lessen how jagged it is. I am sorry we couldn't do more."

Vernon affected a sad face, "thank you for trying doctor." Inside he was howling with glee 'take that freak!'

"He is required to come in for a checkup to see if it is infected every week for the duration of its healing. Normally we wouldn't be so careful, but because he is so young and the wound is so large and in such a bad place, we just want to be sure. Now, we need you to make sure it is cleaned very carefully every night with hydrogen peroxide or Alcohol. He also needs to be careful not to move his mouth too much, try and only feed him things like broth or soups so he isn't chewing. Try and keep him from crying as well, the tears will irritate the stitches and might cause an infection. We would like to keep him for the night, but in the morning he is free to go home." The doctor finished. Vernon still using the 'sad face' nodded his head in 'understanding' and turned to say 'goodnight' to his nephew.

"I'll be back for you in the morning freak." Was all he said before he left smiling at the image of his nephew laying in the hospital bed with half his face bandaged. What he didn't realize was that this even would change EVERYTHING.

-Harry's magic P.O.V.-

Harry's magic had decided enough was enough. It decided to change and adapt its charges' body so that something like this would never happen again. It's host had almost died and _that_ just wouldn't do. So it set to work. The first change would be nutrient wise. Magic changed Harry's body so it didn't have to rely on the sparse bits of food he got. While his body would still use the energy of food, it's primary source for now would be the left over energy from the killing curse and the piece of Tom Riddle that had been lodged in the boy (so his body is eating the Horcux, there will only be three of these: the scar, the diary, and nagini (not including the one in qurellmort). If those ever ran out he would be able to draw the natural energy from the earth around him also known as ambient magic.

Magic (that is what it will be called for now), deciding that Harry's malnutrition stunted frame just wouldn't do and set about making it right. Seeing as Harry wouldn't be actively using magic for a while Magic deemed it safe to use itself to speed along the healing for the malnutrition.

-Time Skip-Next Morning-Normal P.O.V.-

As soon as the hospital was open to visitors Vernon was checking Harry out and hustling him into the car. Once back at the house Vernon had Harry clean the carpet where he dribbled blood, then had Harry sit in the corner at the foot of the stairs. Harry sat there all day, only thankful that Dudley had been told that he was under no circumstance or way to touch or bother Harry. When night fell Vernon told him to go wash his stitches with Alcohol and cover it up with new bandages. When Harry was finished he was told to sleep in the corner he sat in all day (the cupboard was too dusty to risk) and not to move from that spot. It was the best night of sleep he ever had in the Dursley household.

This repeated for the week, he got his check up and was told to come back again as per instructed, in that week he had gown an inch. Another week went by and the only difference was he went to school, everyone stared, then went back to number 4 and repeated. He grew another inch that week. By the end of the month he had grown 4 inches and was now the same height as most kids his age, the bandage on his face was allowed to come off but the stitches stayed in for now. Other than that it was the same.

Another week and the stitches in his forehead where allowed to come out. The was no lightning bolt anymore, though there were tiny hints of it if you knew what to look for. Otherwise it looked like scars from the stitches and the larger scar itself. Harry was now an inch taller than Dudley, but it wasn't too noticeable. Harry was also made to start cleaning the house again, he would often get tired sooner than he used to, but he put it out of his mind thinking it was only because he hadn't been doing anything for a while. Life for Harry Potter went on.

Another two weeks, another two inches, and all the stitches were taken out. Harry was now three inches taller than Dudley (about the height of a 5 year old) though still not noticeable from an adults P.O.V. Harry, now used to the constant drain of energy, was able to get back to his usual pace of cleaning and cooking (which was slowly getting easier with the added height). With the stitches now out he could tell the damage that was done to his facial feature without the extra pull of the stitches. Though the knife had missed his mouth entirely it cut the muscles in such a way and healed in such a way that Harry would always have a slight frown at the best of times and a permanent scowl at the worst leaving him looking to be in a permanent fowl temper. Though he could smile, it was lopsided and sometimes looked more like a smirk then a smile.

As a result the other children where often afraid of him so he spent all his school free time alone. Sometimes in the library reading various subjects. Such as school related topics and home making manuals for his house work at number 4. To fiction books, do it yourself books, and self-taught martial arts. Harry was a smart kid and would be classified as a genius if he would sit and read longer. He didn't like to sit still for too long though as a by-product of living with the Dursley's. So he would also spend his time in the areas none of the other kids went. There he ran or did other exercises like yoga and Pilates (for flexibility and strength with the added benefit of meditation and stress relief) or general things like sit ups or pushups. Thankfully the Dursley's didn't care about grades though. Otherwise, he might be in a bit of pain…

-Magic's P.O.V.-

With Harry's exercising helping the healing of the malnutrition Magic was able to split its attention between Harry's height (not really realizing or caring if it was speeding it up now instead of just fixing it) and other things it wanted to do (which incidentally would help make the extra height more unnoticeable). Such as making his skin tougher now that the stitches were completely out. So magic set about slowly (so slowly that Harry didn't notice the difference right away but faster than you think) making Harry's bones denser and stronger (which also made harry heavier meaning he built more muscle to be able to move) and his skin thicker and much harder to damage.

-normal-general over view/time skip-

As Harry got older he grew and got stronger, not only physically but emotionally and mentally too. Harry, after reading a basic psychology book, learned how to cope with what the Dursley where doing to him. He didn't let them know that they didn't affect him anymore, he just showed them the stoic side of him that he showed anyone else and they assumed he was broken. As far as his body, Harry's skin got to the point that the thorn whip didn't make him bleed (the Dursley's had decided knife and burn wounds where too risky now that he was in school), though he still bruised a little from it all. His bones were to the point that a cast iron frying pan delivered to the head via Vernon would only make him a little dizzy. Dudley couldn't even break his finger (hey he was fat not muscular! So it is kind of possible) no matter how hard he tried, thankfully. The only thing Dudley _had_ managed was to break Harry's glasses, which the Dursley's refused to replace. In return magic decided to heal Harry's eyesight as well seeing as it was an unnecessary weakness, leaving only a small ring of silver around his pupil as evidence. So Dudley usually left him alone, and while Vernon still tried to hurt him and Petunia still tried to starve him, nothing really worked. He didn't bother to tell _them_ that though.

By the time Harry was six he looked more like he was ten and had the maturity of a 10-12 year old. So when the Dursley's started making him get up at the crack of dawn to do chores then locked him out of the house after school Harry started to go the next neighborhood over, where no-one knew of his 'criminal' self, and did odd jobs for money. Things like mowing their yards with a manual lawnmower that he got with some money Harry snuck from Dudley, which helped build muscles as well. Harry used the earned money to go to town where he would go to the second hand store with army surpluses and get clothes that fit (by now they were too short in the leg but to big otherwise) and would last. Shirts were simple slightly faded black, white, or sand colored tees, wife beaters (for summer) and black under armor shirts with both long and short sleeves. For pants he would get some of the old slightly worn but thick black combat trousers and soldier trousers, a pair of shorts for when it was getting hot, as for shoes would get a pair of British Assault Boots and a pair of composite safety shoes (both of course visibly used or the Dursley's would never let him have them)iii. When the Dursley's asked he would say that the school or someone else would give them to him and _make_ him wear them to make him more respectable to his betters or some such rot. That way they would think he didn't like them and therefore they enforce that he wear them. Clever really.

-time skip-

Harry at age eleven looked more like a 13 year old, and had the strength and maturity to match. So when a letter came for a place that sounded ridiculously farfetched he ignored it thinking it a prank. When the next few showed up he was starting to get angry. When the next hundred showed up he got concerned for his heath as Vernon turned purple from the avalanche of letters. Vernon burned them then acted like nothing happened after a small tantrum. Then the fateful Sunday. If he thought the last bought was an avalanche, he didn't know what to call what came next. The house was flooded with letters and Vernon burst a blood vessel. After a quick trip to the hospital to assure the Dursley's it wasn't life threatening (too bad it wasn't) they were uprooted to a shack in the middle of nowhere surrounded by water. Obviously someone (Vernon) was paranoid. Didn't stop what happened next from being any less shocking though…

From his spot on the dirt floor of the tiny two story shack, Harry heard a great pounding on the door over the pouring rain and booming thunder. The first hit made him jump. The second made him decide to hide, and hide he did. Harry rolled under the table and pressed his back to the wall thankful that he had worn his black combat trousers and an under armor shirt with his only jumper and black norgie (check iii) and his boots to combat the chill of the un-insulated hut.

The third knock brought the door down sending Dudley skittering into a corner behind the hearth he was too fat to hide in and bringing Petunia and Vernon down, toting his newly bought shotgun. The giant dark figure in the door stooped down and turned slightly to the side to fit his considerable mass in through the door, once in he bent, picked up the door, then pounded it back into place. For now.

Vernon cocked his gun and pointed it at the man, trying to be as threatening as possible and make it look like he wasn't ready to hide behind his anorexic wife. Which he was. The mysterious man, back-lighted by the lightning outside the hut looked around **"Sorry 'bout that."**

"**I demand that you leave at once, Sir! You are breaking and entering!"** Vernon shouted

"**Dry up, Dursley, you great prune."**

The man, calm as you please, walked over and bent the metal of the barrel straight up as the gun went off, blowing a whole in the floor above them and splitting the opening of the barrel making it even _more_ useless. Then the man looked around the room, spotting Dudley he smile, "**Mind, I haven't seen you since you was a baby, Harry, but you're a bit more along than I would have expected. Particularly 'round the middle!"**

"**I-I-I'm not Harry."** Dudley whimpered pathetically.

Harry decided now was as good a time as any to come out. He rolled out from under the table and stood up all in one smooth move. "You seem to know me but I have to say, I have no idea who you are." Harry said frown more pronounced now that he was _actually_ frowning. Hagrid, not being able to see Harry all that well in the poorly lit shack just smiled, **"**ah**, ****Got something for ya. 'Fraid I might have sat on it at some point! I imagine that it'll taste fine just the same. Ahh. Baked it myself. Words and all. Heh."**

Harry took the proffered cake and looked at it. He smiled very slightly at the kind gesture then set the cake on the table behind him. "Thank you that is very kind. I am sorry to say I still don't know who you are though..." he trailed off.

Hagrid taking the hint sat down on the couch and lit the fire with the umbrella he was holding, "**Rubeus Hagrid. Keeper of keys and grounds at Hogwarts. Course, you'll know all about Hogwarts**." He said casually as if it was an everyday occurrence. Harry just raised an eyebrow at the answer.

"I'm sorry but I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about."Harry said flatly.

"**No? Blimey, Harry, didn't you ever wonder where your mum and dad learned it all?" Hagrid asked incredulously, **without looking Harry's way busy rummaging through his great coat.

"Learned what exactly?"

"You're a wizard, Harry." Hagrid said.

"…Sir. How can I be a wizard they are fictional…" Harry said back, eyebrow raised.

" You are **a wizard. And a thumping good one at that, I'd wager. Once you train up a little.** They aren't fiction." Hargid finished succinctly.

"So say I believe you. How is it that you can tell I am one, if I can't tell I am one?" Harry asked reasonably.

"**Well, Just Harry, did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain when you were angry or scared?"** Hagrid asked. Harry thought a moment.

"Well, when I was about four my skin and bones got harder and thicker. Does that count?" Harry asked.

Hagrid finally looked up at Harry and about jumped out of his skin when he finally saw Harry's face.

"Merlin Harry what happened to your face!?" Hagrid lurched forward to get a better look, startled.

Harry's face went as blank as it was allowed. "I ran into a nasty Rose vine when I was four. You were about to say?"

"Auh, yes, um, yes that counts" Hagrid stuttered. Hagrid's shaking hand holds out the same letter that Harry thought was a hokes and the same letter that drove the Dursley's from their home. Harry opened the letter just to be sure that he was right. Yep he was. After a quick scan he looked up as his previously silent uncle came shuffling angrily forward.

"**He'll not be going! We swore when we took him in we'd put an end to this rubbish!**

"**You knew? You knew all along and you never told me?"** Harry asked in a dangerously calm voice and a strange glint in his eye.

"**Of course we knew. How could you not be? My **_**perfect**_** sister being who she was. Oh, my mother and father were so proud the day she got her letter. We have a witch in the family. Isn't it wonderful? I was the only one to see her for what she was. A freak! And then she met that Potter, and then she had you, and I knew you'd be just the same, just as strange, just as ... abnormal. And then, if you please, she went and got herself blown up! And we got landed with you**." She spoke in her snotty step ford housewife tone all the while looking down her nose as if she was better.

"**Blown up? You told me my parents died in a car crash!" **Harry's anger was really starting to show through as he glared at his relatives.

"**A car crash? A car crash kill James and Lily Potter?" **Hagrid yelled in outrage.

"**We had to tell him something**." The bitch defended herself.

"**It's an outrage! It's a scandal!" **Hagrid continued to shout.

"**He'll not be going!"** Vernon hissed out between his crooked teeth.

"**Oh, and I suppose a great Muggle like yourself's going to stop him, are you?" **Hagrid said mockingly

" **Muggle**?" Harry raised an eyebrow at the unfamiliar word.

"**Non-magic folk." **Hagrid explained absently**, "This boy's had his name down ever since he was born! He's going to the finest school of witchcraft and wizardry in the world, and he'll be under the greatest headmaster Hogwarts' has ever seen: Albus Dumbledore." **Hagrid finished passionately

"**I will not pay for some crackpot old fool to teach him magic tricks!" **Vernon yelled with finality

Hagrid whipped his umbrella around to face Vernon, waving it threateningly, **"Never insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me." **Hagrid growled out dangerously.

Hagrid catching sight of Dudley eating Harry's cake redirected the make shift wand and sent a spark of magic at Dudley's rear making a small pig's tail sprout from Dudley's rear. Dudley feeling the new appendage screamed in fright and started to clutch at his rump as he starts to run around his parent chasing after his screaming as well. Harry smirked at the sight of the escaped petting zoo running amuck in the shack.

"**Oh, um, I'd appreciate if you didn't tell anyone at Hogwarts about that. Strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to do magic.**" Hagrid said, sheepishly scratching the side of his head.

Harry, still smirking at Dudley's misfortune, nods his head then says, "you have until tomorrow night to prove that this school" Harry said, waving the letter in his hand, "is real. If it is I'll go. If you are pulling my leg…. I will turn you over to the insane asylum." Harry joked. Having already decided that as weird as it was, it was indeed true. Hagrid seeing that he was kidding gave a booming laughter and clapped Harry gently on the back. "Let's get going then!" Hagrid said cheerfully. Harry grabbed the duffle bag with all of his belongings and followed Hagrid out of the dropped door.

-Time Skip-at the door to the Leaky Cauldron-

"Ah, Hagrid! The usual, I presume?" The jovial barkeep asked.

"**No thanks, Tom. I'm on official Hogwarts business today. Just helping young Harry here buy his school supplies**. " Hagrid announced proudly. Thanks to the large scar dominating his face and the fact that the lightning bolt no longer really existed everyone just briefly glanced up, caught sight of the scar and quickly looked away again leaving Harry non-the-wiser that they were wait for THE Harry Potter, had he known he would have smirked at their reaction.

"Hello, Professor." Hagrid said catching sight of a colleague ,"**Harry, this is Professor Quirrell. He'll be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts."**

"Nice to meet you." Harry said politely offering a hand to shake.

Quirrell avoided the hand as if afraid to catch germs, "F**-fearfully fascinating subject**. Heheh." He chuckled nervously.

"Yes, well, must be going now. Lots to buy. Heh." Hagrid said, ever the cheerful giant (or half-giant in this case).

Harry, with his eyebrow raised at the bizarre behavior, nodded following Hagrid as he said over his shoulder, "Good bye."

Once out back Hagrid mimed whipping his brow "Whew, dogged a bullet there we did."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked curiously.

"Your famous Harry! If they had known you where you we'd have been swamped with all of them wanting to shake your hand in thanks!" Hagrid said eagerly.

"Why am I famous?" Harry asked incredulously. "How would any of those people know who I am?"

" **I'm not exactly sure I'm the right person to tell you that, Harry**. But it has to do with your parent's" Hagrid said as he tapped the bricks then with a flourish said "Welcome, Harry, to Diagon Alley." as the bricks rearranged. Harry narrowed his eyes at the avoidance of answering the question but let it go for now.

i F1z FALLKNIVEN KNIFE: www .aceros –de -hispania fallkniven-knife/f 1z-fallkni ven-knife .asp?pr oduct =fallkniv en-f1z

ii Imagine it looking more like the Sowilo here: www. themag /2 010/1 0/sam hain-w ish- itual. Html and more in the middle of his eyebrow then towards the gap between….

iii I am using www. Army surplus 365 .co. uk/ for a reference, so think of them as used and slightly faded but still in very good condition, that is what he wears.

As far as physical strength goes, as he is now he could get into a wrestling match with an eighth grade varsity wrestler and have a good chance of winning. Harry would have been going into sixth grade if he wasn't going to Hogwarts.

I am going with the theory that what happened when he was four was the straw that broke the camel's back. The time spent in recovery for his face was also spent healing emotionally and mentally from the abuse (the mind is powerful thing). They didn't talk to him at that time so he wouldn't cry. In result when he was at his most broken and defenseless, none of their previous claims where reinforced or built upon, giving him time to knit himself back together stronger, therefore he doesn't believe what they say is true. So there will be no 'I am a freak' moments. Harry has resigned himself to be being different and is embracing it.

I can't write Hagrid's accent myself (and in the shack scene there really isn't much to change) so the only time it will be written is when it is in **Bold **meaning that I took it froma site:** tomfelt onandmore .tripod home /id9. Html **which has the basic script down so most things in Bold aren't mine, or if they are (as in you don't recognize it from the movie) then it is just emphasis. Tell me what you think!


	2. shopping, express, sorting

Ok, so I go the title from listening to a song, "Kelly Clarkson - Stronger (_What Doesn't Kill You_)" I have put up another poll in my profile, this one is for the pairing. After that I have one more poll. The pairing poll will be up until I get to year 3 Prisoner of Azkaban. Even though Harry is older than Ron and Hermione it isn't so much that he is older it is that those two are younger. I decided against making the whole year younger simply because then I would have to make up a lot of new characters, so it is the same just minus Ron and Hermione. I apologize about how Hagrid is talking I know it is way off but I get headaches trying to write his speech pattern and accent, so I just went for good old English with much better (even if it isn't perfect) grammer.

Previously:

"_Why am I famous?" Harry asked incredulously. "How would any of those people know who I am?"_

" _**I'm not exactly sure I'm the right person to tell you that, Harry**__. But it has to do with your parent's" Hagrid said as he tapped the bricks then with a flourish said "Welcome, Harry, to Diagon Alley." as the bricks rearranged. Harry narrowed his eyes at the avoidance of answering the question but let it go for now._

Now:

Harry looked at the newly revealed street in heavily veiled awe, the only difference in his usual demeanor to denote awe was the slight widening of his eyes. Hagrid, disappointed at the perceived lack of reaction, just started walking down the street as Harry followed.

"So am I going on scholarship or something similar?" Harry asked.

"No, why would you think that?" Hagrid was confused.

"Well we didn't get any money from my relatives, so how am I going to get my supplies and tuition settled if not on scholar ship? I have no real sum of money of my own." Harry pointed out.

"ah, well your parent's left you some inheritance, it is in the bank," Hagrid pointed to the large white marble building at the end of the long street, "there, which is our first stop."

They continued down the road with Hagrid pointing out some of the more popular shops and the ones he would need today giving a brief idea of what each was for. As Harry walked he couldn't help but notice the odd clothes, but he shoved it to the back his mind for now as they were at the steps of the great bank. There were two creature decked out in full armor guarding the front door with axes on handles that left the blade being just above their heads. The creatures themselves only came up to about Harry's waist, their weapons coming to about his chest. Harry deduced that these were the creature that ran the bank, Hagrid having told him about them on the way to the bank in between stores.

Going into the bank was startling in itself as Harry got to see the beautiful white marble building up close. Being so close he could see the marble had intricate grey and silver veined through what looked like one solid carving of marble, which if it was one chunk then it was a HUGE chunk of marble, the size of which he doubted he would ever see again. Just inside between the entrance doors there was a plaque that had a poem in the form of a warning which Harry took to heart, he didn't like thieves either.

Continuing on Harry saw two rows on either side with tillers and gates, then straight ahead there was another desk which held another goblin. Hagrid went to the desk that was straight down the middle. Upon getting to the desk Hagrid cleared his throat loudly prompting the busy goblin to look up in annoyance. "Yes…?" The goblin ground out.

"Mr. Potter here to make a withdrawal." Hagrid said gruffly. The goblin looked over to Harry with his eyes narrowed and his eyebrows raised, Harry inclined his head in a show of respect and acknowledgment. At that the eyebrows remained up but the eyes un-narrowed.

"And does Mr. Potter have his key?" He asked.

Hagrid started rummaging through his pockets, "Got it here somewhere…" Harry narrowed his eyes a little "Ah here it is!" Hagrid exclaimed as he pulled out a small golden key and handed it over. The goblin called over another one called Griphook.

"Take them to Mr. Potter's vault." The goblin motioned for them to follow.

They got into a mining cart and set off at phenomenal speeds down the railway, Harry smiled slightly at the roller coaster like ride as they went down. They stopped in front of a vault and the goblin got out. He asked for the lantern, then the key opening the door to show piles of gold, silver, and copper coins. Harry was surprised at the amount of gold that was there but didn't make a big show of how much there was.

Harry stuck his hand in his duffle bag that he still had with him and pulled out a mesh bag that is used to keep socks together. Harry put two big handfuls of everything into the bag then slipped the bag back into his duffle before grabbing another handful of the gold coins and putting them in his pocket where they clinked together like spare change. The goblin handed Hagrid back the key and just before they took off again Hagrid told him of another place that he needed to go. Using the wind as a distraction and the new destination as an opportunity he stuck his hand in Hagrid pocket and retrieved _his_ key.

After the show of getting the tinny object out of the large protected vault, they were on their way to the top and out to the streets and shops once more. Hagrid took him to the trunk shop first so he would have somewhere to put his purchases after he got them (harry's idea). Instead of getting a standard trunk which would need replaced eventually, Harry got a slightly more advanced one. This trunk looked normal, if a little bigger and a little sturdier then one would normally see, but inside was different.

If you opened it like normal then what you would see would look like a normal compartment, but it was not quite so. This compartment would expand as needed up to three times the size of a normal compartment. Instead of the standard 'hidden' compartment, there was an actual hidden compartment. It was in the lid. You had to have the top open completely then press the owner's wand tip or finger to the center of the lid and it would open like a regular box flap, inside there would be a compartment that would be the size of a standard trunk.

Then if you closed the trunk all up then turned the four caps on the corners (the ones that keep the edges from being sharp) and open the trunk it reveals the second compartment. This compartment was a room. Upon opening the trunk there would be a set of stairs which went along the wall. Once down the stairs the compartment was an open floor plan room that was the size of four of the Dursley's first floor put together. This was meant for moving large objects that couldn't remain shrunk for too long lest it damage the item. Harry was going to use it as several different things.

After buying the trunk Hagrid took Harry to the book store where he wouldn't let Harry look at anything that wasn't in the list. They got everything from there, the apothecary, and the stationary store leaving them with only the wand store, the clothing store and maybe the pet store. The clothing store was where they went first. Madam Malkin's came bustling over and got him to a stool in the back next to a blond child who looked a bit petulant.

"Hogwarts Dear?" the madam questioned. Harry just nodded his head and she got to work fitting a large dress-like piece of materiel over his head then stated pinning and cutting the material with her wand, her assistant working diligently on the boy next to him. After a snooty conversation with the blond and a few minutes of work on the madam's part Harry was good to go after she got two more robes magiced to the exact dimensions of the one that had just been fitted. Then he was given a Cloak that was of the same size and a hat that fit, then shooed out the door by Hagrid after paying. All of this hurrying along was REALLY starting to get under Harry's skin, but he went along with it.

Next was the wand shop where Harry was sent in alone due to Hagrid want to get a quick drink at the pub. Olivander, who startled Harry with his hiding in the shadows trick, almost got a taste of just how painful the martial arts can be when he popped out of seemingly no-where. Olivander used a crazy measuring tape that measure for itself while Olivander started gathering a handful of boxed wands for Harry to try and rambling about what his parent's wands were made of. After an hour Olivander finally pulled out the wand that was the brother of Voldemort's wand, he even told him so, which happened to be a match, just in time for Hagrid to wrap his knuckles on the window holding the cage of a beautiful snowy owl. Harry paid the man for the wand and went out to see Hagrid beaming and present the owl to Harry saying, "Happy Birthday!"

Having the last of the shopping done, Hagrid lead Harry back down the Alley, out of the pub and to the streets of London. "Well, Harry time to get you home. I just realized I am late!" Hagrid exclaimed looking at his pocket watch.

"If you are late why don't I take a cab home so you can get there sooner." Harry said, already hailing and catching a cab. Hagrid had a leery expression on his face but agreed, he helped Harry get his trunk in then waved Harry off as the cab started down the street, then left seeing his job as done.

Harry, ever devious, told the cabby to take him to the nearest park and let him out. The nearest park was only about two blocks away, Harry paid his fair with his yard wok money, then grabbed a bite to eat from the nearest stand and ate at a park bench.

After soaking in the fresh air for a little while Harry deemed that enough time had passed before he made his way back to the Leaky Cauldron where he bought a room and silence from Tom the bar keep. His reason for buying silence was that he was the son of a squib and a muggle and they didn't like that he had magic, so he ran away and didn't want to know what would happen if his family found him. Tom's eyes strayed to the long scar on his face and sympathetically just went with it.

Up in his room, Harry started to sort all of his things to see what he had. He was not satisfied. So seeing as it was still fairly early in the afternoon Harry hit the shops again. First he headed for the book shop where he picked up a little extra reading. This reading included supplement texts for potions, theory of runes, occlemency (having come across it on accident but deeming it a good idea after reading what it was for), more books on his core subjects, and some interesting (as interesting as it CAN be) books on history, as well as some for things like spells that would be used on a daily basis, in fact the book was title: spells commonly used on a daily basis. A bit redundant if you asked him, but hey, it might be helpful! Then he went to the apothecary to get some extra ingredients so he could try a potion or two. It being around three in the afternoon by now Harry went to drop off his purchases on his room then out to muggle London.

Harry looked around for a shop that sold clothes and he found what he was looking for in a place that catered to those who where more into the goth look. Here Harry found some nice trench coats/dusters, there was no way he was wearing a god damned dress, no matter what everyone else was wearing or the school rules. After picking up five coats (two larger than the others so he had room to grow) he made his way back to his rented room. Once in the room he took the robes and cut them from collar to hem, that way he could wear it without it being a dress, just in case they didn't let the alternative go. Then he sewed on a single button on the front and put a strap on the back that would keep it from closing together anywhere but where that on button was.

Harry spent the last month he had before he left for Hogwarts reading his books, practicing spells, exercising, occlemency, and getting his possessions just how he wanted them. He even spelled his clothes to have extra weight seeing as he wouldn't have as much free time as he would normally have had at the Dursley's to work out.

Finally the morning came. September first, the day he would be leaving for Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Checking to make sure he had his ticket, Harry noticed something odd that he knew couldn't be right. The ticket said platform 9 ¾ and he knew that there was no such thing, the platforms were only listed by whole numbers. So assuming correctly that there was a trick to getting onto the wizarding platform, Harry asked the helpful barkeep who told him how to get there.

Harry hailed a cab to Kingscross station. He loaded his luggage Hedwig and all onto a trolley, paid his fare then set out to find the platform in the crowded muggle station. When he was a few pillars away he all of a sudden heard from behind a women yelling at the top of her lungs about muggles, platform 9 ¾ and how every year it was packed. Harry hurried forward to the gate and just before he went through he turned his head back looking at the yelling woman only to see that she had several older children who were Hogwarts students, so she obviously knew where it was, not to mention the fact that she probably went to the school herself. While it was suspicious, Harry decided to ignore the woman and casually walked through the barrier to the other side.

He was slightly amazed at the size of the train and silently wondered to himself how they hid the train from muggles, after all it was fire engine red and quite large! Suddenly remembering the suspicious woman that would soon be coming through Harry hurried away from the gate way, and seeing as he had no one to say good bye to, wasted no time in hurrying to the back of the train where he found an empty compartment. Once there he closed and locked the door, having read in Hogwarts a History that the train added to itself so there was always enough seating, this way he could have a compartment to himself for what would surely be his final moments of peace from the other students. Digging out the daily spells book, Harry looked up a window tinting spell and used it on the door and windows so no one could see in. Then Harry used a silencing charm and settled down for a short nap.

The train went underway half an hour later. Harry woke from his nap about 2 hours into the journey leaving 4 hours to entertain himself. So he took out an mp3 player that he had the bookstore keeper charm to run on ambient magic, and he started listening to some music starting with his current favorite _Shut me up by Mindless Self Indulgence _(it was such a funny song) followed by some _Disturbed _(their music in his favorite genre)_. _That is how the rest of the ride passed. At the end of the journey Harry pulled one of the slit robes on for the 'special occasion'. Hearing the announcement to leave the trunks on board Harry exited the train and followed Hagrid's directions, getting a greeting from Hagrid when he was recognized. Harry kept his ear buds in and got in a boat at the water's edge. He was joined by a pudgy boy who looked like he had been crying. Having chosen the boat at the end, the boy was his only boat companion as everyone else chose to sit with their friends.

Harry admired the castle when it came into view, but he didn't gasp or wear a face of wonder like the rest of the students did. When the boats pulled up in the underground dock, Harry got out and turned off his music. Seeing the boy that had been with him was about to fall into the water, Harry reached out and grabbed the back of his robe, then pulled him upright. The boy turned and stuttered out his thanks in a squeak then hurried to catch up with their retreating classmates, Harry just walked along casually.

After they made it up all the stairs they stopped in front of a door, which Hagrid banged on. The doors opened to reveal a severe woman who looked to be in her 60s with her graying, but still dark, hair pulled back into a tight bun with a green witches hat on that matched her robes. She bid them enter and led them to a small side room where all the students crammed together as she explained some basic things about the school that had to do directly with the sorting, though she said nothing about the sorting itself. Then she turned and stalked away, giving the command that they 'smarten up' were her word as she looked to the boy who rode with Harry, and another boy who sounded Irish who had a smudge mark on his cheek with his hair sticking up, she went to glare at Harry too, but catching sight of his face she immediately averted her eyes.

After she left, the snooty blond from the clothes shop stepped forward and started riling the kids up with horror stories of what the sorting could be. Seeing the kids from earlier getting upset again Harry went over to him and gripped his shoulder in a firm comforting grip. He didn't know why but seeing kids get upset had always made Harry react like that, he would either comfort them, or if they were in danger, protect them, like he had once done for a child that was getting chased by a vicious Rottweiler one day when he was working on a yard for money.

***Flash Back****

Eight year old Harry looked up as he heard the screaming of a young child, probably about five. The child was being chased down the street by a Rottweiler that was foaming at the mouth and gaining on the child. Harry let go of the lawn mower he had been using and ran for the street. Just as he was almost there the child tripped, his legs weak from all the running, skinning his hands, legs, elbows, and chin. The dog jumped forward ready to spring on his helpless pray, its powerful jaws open and ready to crunch delicate bone. Harry ran in between the two, bringing his arm up to block the dogs vicious teeth and getting his arm caught in its mouth, the powerful jaws clamping down on his arm. If Harry had been normal then it would have broken the bones in his arm, as it was its sharp teeth sunk into his hardened flesh as the dog's paws landed on the asphalt and the dog started forcefully jerking its head back and forth like a demented game of tug-a-war. Every jerk split the skin of Harry's arm as he brought up his free hand and started to smash his fist into the frenzied dog's head. After a few hits Harry finally hit the dog hard enough to knock it out and pull his savaged arm from its teeth. Harry ripped the short sleeve or his shirt off and wrapped it around the wound quickly before going over to the still cowering and sobbing child. Harry gently picked the child up and held him to his chest with one arm under his butt and the other running up and down his back trying to calm him. Harry started walking towards the house he was working for and knocked on the door, he asked them to call animal control about the dog in the street that obviously had rabies. Then he asked the calming child where he lived and carried him home…

***End Flash Back****

Seeing the kid turn to him Harry tried to soften his expression, "What's your name?"

"N-Neville." He said.

"Well, Neville there is nothing to be scared of, would they really make you do something dangerous, especially on your first day?" Harry asked him softly.

"I-I guess not" Neville said, looking a little more relieved.

"Alright then," Harry said, then reaching forward he started to help him fix his cloak "Better fix this up, don't want you to get into trouble now do we?" Harry asked kindly, like he would ask a child much younger. Instead of being insulted, it seemed to help Neville calm down a little and gave Harry a tremulous smile of thanks.

"Thank you." He said, this time without stuttering. Harry patted his shoulder gently then turned him around to face the front where the witch had returned to lead them to their sorting.

Harry stuck in the back so he wouldn't be immediately noticed, and followed her to the great hall where the rest of the school was waiting. In front of the hall there was a small stool with the hat sitting on top. The hat was moth bitten and a dirty brown color with patches. All together not a pretty hat. Then it sung a song (from the book), Harry's eyebrow took a hike up his forehead at that. After the song the sorting started Harry watch the first few then studied the table of students to see where he wanted to end up.

The green and silver table, slytherin, looked like someone had taken a stick and shoved it up their backside that is how formal they looked. Not the place for him then. On the opposite side of the hall was the black and yellow table, hufflepuff. This group looked like they were all smiles and rainbows with the glass half full philosophy, no that wouldn't do either, he would probably wind up killing the first person who tried to make him lighten up. Not something he was willing to do, not to mention that trust was a big part of being in that house and he trusted no-one on a personal level anymore, besides he was more the glass has liquid in it type, instead of full or empty. Then there was the blue and bronze house. Half of them looked twitchy to get their hands on a book, the other half looked like they wanted to know every detail of the new comer's lives and what made them tick. Obviously not for him, he liked his privacy thank you. So it looked like it was the red and gold for him, Gryffindor. The house of the brave and sometimes stupid. At least they were so wrapped up in their own lives and gossip that they were less likely to pry into his.

Harry's attention snapped back to the front as he heard Neville called. The nervous boy walked up to the front and sat down looking around the students in front of him for someone, then his eyes locked on Harry and he knew the kid needed some reassurance that it would all be ok. So Harry, making sure he was looking at him, deliberately nodded his head to tell him it was ok just as the hat was settled on his head. After about 15 seconds, the hat call out the house of lions as Neville's new home away from home.

Neville popped up from the seat beaming at Harry as he started to run to his table only to turn and give back the hat he had almost ran off with before taking off for the table. Harry zoned out for a few more students. Soon over half of the student's had found a seat and people were starting to notice the extremely tall first year, the other first years only coming to about Harry's chest or shoulder depending on how tall they were.

"Potter, Harry." McGonagall finally called out. Instantly whispers started all around speculating what house he would be in. Harry walked up the step with his head held high, his face on full view. The teachers eyes widened when they caught sight, startled at the scar but not surprised as Hagrid had told them he had it, they just thought he was exaggerating what it looked like. There were gasps amongst the student's as he turned to take his seat, and the whispers grew. Harry's eyes narrowed at the sound, then they headmaster stood and called them to silence. After it got quite again McGonagall lowed the hat on Harry's head.

In order to make the sorting go how he wanted Harry used his occlemency (the limited bit he had managed in a month) to hold back any memory that showed too much intelligence or cunning and pushed forward his bravery, such as the Rottweiler incident. The hat hmmm'd and hawww'd as he viewed the memories and just before he got to the slight barrier holding back his cunning and intelligence the hat pulled back.

"Well you do have quite the mind Mr. Potter. A little of each house is here. Yes you have cunning and ambition, you didn't think you could hide that from me did you?" The hat asked smugly," you also have a good work ethic, but not a lot of trust and only a little more forgiveness, you have smarts but you don't do well with using only your brain, and you have bravery in spades." The hat said in satisfaction. Harry, kept holding back the memories, while the hat knew they were there, he didn't actually see them, if he did it may sway the sorting in a direction Harry didn't want it to go.

"So where shall I put you hmm?" the hat asked leadingly.

Harry, taking the _brave_ route simply said, "Gryffindor please." With a cheeky mental grin.

That hat chuckled at that then said, "well come and visit me sometime, you certainly are entertaining!" then the hat shouted out "**GRYFFINDOR!**" and the house of lion went wild. In all the hype they didn't even notice what he did to his robe.

Harry presented the hat back to McGonagall and walked over to the table. He took a seat between Neville and a set of red headed twins.

***End Chapter***

Well I hope this wasn't a disappointing chapter, but I got something at least right?! I am sorry that the first part was so very rushed but it was mostly cannon and I didn't think you would want to read through _another_ school shopping trip :D Now year 1 isn't going to be terribly long in fact until the later years I don't think any of them are going to be too long, so I am sorry about that as well. I also would like to say thank you for the encouragement so far! I never thought I would get such a positive response for my writing!

I would also like to say, sorry to **Aniruddha **for not making Harry a slytherin, but I am trying to make it so that he still has slytherin characteristics.

And a sorry to you all it might take me a little while to update, but I have to finish out my online math class. As it is I have stretched my procrastination as far as it is allowed to go and I got into a lot of trouble, so I have to do a lot of school work to make up for it :C but don't worry, I will come back, it might take me anywhere from a week to a month though depends on how much I have left...


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